One thing about me is that I'm going to complain on a flight. Put me on the world's longest flight, which is roughly 19 hours? I'm going to complain about everything, the whole time: the food, the air, and my life choices up to that point.
On my recent journey from JFK to Singapore — the longest direct flight in existence — I had a savior: my Vuori Halo Essential Wideleg Pants. After over a decade of traveling professionally as a magazine editor, I have never found such breezy, soft, cooling, light-as-air travel pants that didn't feel sweaty and sticky by the end of my journey.
This pair of silky soft wide-legged sweatpants feel breathable enough for any amount of activity (or lack thereof).
What we like
What we don't like
Once landing in Singapore, I then had five hours in the airport, another four hour flight, a one hour seaplane, and car rides in between. The pants truly felt like a halo the entire time.
These earned the top spot among all the most comfortable women's sweatpants I've tested, but I hadn't yet worn them on a transcontinental voyage. Their performance on this flight from hell took my appreciation of the materials and the fit to new heights.
The fabric is moisture-wicking and felt lighter than air in the stuffy plane cabin
Vuori's DreamKnit material is a longtime favorite on our team. It's made from 89% recycled polyester and 11% elastane, which I now believe to be the perfect ratio of stretch-to-structure that travel pants should have.
Sometimes, poly-elastane blends fail miserably at ventilating. Especially on flights, I tend to sweat profusely. Thankfully, the Vuori wide-leg sweatpants moisture-wicked like a dream, even as I expected to get clammy and sticky around hour 5, or 10, or 15.
Speaking of stretch: after every high-sodium meal and snack, the Vuori Halo Essential sweatpants easily accommodated my ensuing bloat without digging in, cradling my belly like a soft caress. Like many, I get extremely bloated on airplanes (it's been proven scientifically!), so I was glad for their forgiving waistband.
Miraculously, I didn't get overheated (or too cold) over the full 19 hour flight
We as passengers have no control over the cabin climate, which tends to be either freezing or stuffy, with poor circulation. The pants helped keep me in a comfy temperature equilibrium.
The Halo Essential sweatpants are not made of fibers usually associated with cooling (like bamboo or cotton), which I ordinarily prefer. Yet somehow, this specific jersey knit allowed for maximum airflow while keeping me warm (but not sweaty) as the plane AC went on full blast around hour 13.
The price point is premium, but worth it
I own plenty more affordable sweatpants that I adore, particularly the Old Navy High-Wasted SoComfy and the Uniqlo Wide Legs. But I found the truly next-level comfort of Vuori's "DreamKnit" fabric to be in its own category and worth the $118 price tag.
I was more concerned with being comfortable than looking cute on a flight this long, but I did find the mid-rise and flattering fit to be cozy-chic and laid-back at all stages of my journey.
Plus, I've machine washed and dried these pants over a dozen times, and they're still as silky-soft as when I first got them. I can't say the same for the Old Navy or Uniqlo pairs.
The bottom line
Vuori's soft-brushed, light-as-air, temperature-regulating Halo Essential Wideleg Pants made a 36-hour travel day feel breezy and cool. I would find them in every lifetime. For a cooling, moisture-wicking pant that can stand up to the physical demands of travel, I haven't found anything better.
Shop the entire Vuori Halo collection here.
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